"We have been nice girls long enough. We’ve made our cholent…we should take to the streets." - Blu Greenberg

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Why I’m Going to the JOFA Conference (And Why You Should, Too!)

Every few years, the Jewish Orthodox
Feminist Alliance (JOFA) convenes a conference where feminists get together and
discuss gender issues within the Jewish community. The next conference will
take place on December 7-8 at John Jay College in New York. I’ll be there, and
so should you!

I’ll be going because I will be a speaker
at the conference, and I mean, it would be difficult to give my presentation
without actually attending the thing. Shameless self-promotion: you should come
to the JOFA conference to hear me speak on a panel about blogging for change along
with Sarah Seltzer and Sonia Isard, moderated by Gabi Birkner!

Even if I hadn’t been invited to speak at
the conference, I would definitely be attending. I went to the conference in 2010
and had a really amazing, eye-opening experience. I was only in ninth grade at
the time, but I learned so much about what Jewish feminism and activism means.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I started blogging about Orthodox
feminism less than six months later. Going to the 2010 conference gave me the
tools to understand Jewish feminism and begin a journey to learn what it means
to me personally. Knowing my previous experience with the JOFA conference, I
can only imagine how much this upcoming conference will impact my sense of self
and activism.

Part of why I’m extremely excited to
attend the conference is because I really want to hear so many of the people
who will be speaking. Everyone slated to speak is an expert in his or his
field, and all of them are serious Jewish feminist rock stars. It’s an honor to be in the same room as these people, let alone to be a fellow
speaker. Although I have no idea which sessions I’ll be attending yet – they’re
all so good! – I’m particularly interested in a few, like Mirror Image: Eating
Disorders in the Orthodox Community and Kaddish, Women’s Voices: Emotional and
Personal Perspectives.

Unlike most conferences I attend, I’m not
going to bring down the average age of attendance by 30 years. There will be
other college students speaking at the JOFA conference, like my fellow 36 Under
36er Amram Altzman, as well as feminists still in high school. I
really look forward to hearing what other feminists of my peer group have to
say. I’m also glad that older feminists will get the opportunity to hear the
voices of my generation, since it’s a perspective that is usually missed out
on.

Another reason why I really can’t wait to
go to the JOFA conference is because I can’t wait to meet more Orthodox
feminists. I come from such a right-wing background, so it’s still a novelty
for me to meet other people who think the same way as I do. Although I
currently live in an environment where Orthodox feminism is accepted as
legitimate, it’ll never get old to meet other people who are really active in
feminist thought and activism. Ignoring the networking opportunities, it’ll
just be so great to be among my kind.

Even if you don’t currently identify as a
Jewish or Orthodox feminist, or are dismissive of feminism, the JOFA conference
is still worth attending. You will learn so much about what feminism is and
what its intersection with Orthodoxy means. I know that I have.

For breaking news and conference updates,
as well as all-around Jewish feminist inspiration and information, follow JOFA
on Twitter or like JOFA on Facebook.

Worried about travel and registration cost? An under-30 discount and limited scholarships are available, or attend the entire 1.5 day conference for FREE by volunteering for one shift. Additionally, travel stipends are available for those traveling from outside of the Tri-State Area, and groups of 5 or more are eligible for a 15% discount on registration. For more information on any of these options, email conference@jofa.org.

About Me

Prayer for Agunot

Creator of heaven and earth, may it be Your will to free the captive wives of Israel when love and sanctity have fled the home, but their husbands bind them in the tatters of their ketubot. Remove the bitter burden from these agunot and soften the hearts of their misguided captors. Liberate Your faithful daughters from their anguish. Enable them to establish new homes and raise up children in peace.

Grant wisdom to the judges of Israel; teach them to recognize oppression and rule against it. Infuse our rabbis with the courage to use their power for good alone.